Jess of the Rebel Trail eBook

Already to their left and right vast columns of smoke
were pouring above the tree tops, and fiery tongues
were licking among the bushes along the borders of
the plains. The situation was desperate.
He looked, and his eyes rested upon a pile of large
boulders several yards away. These were heaped
upon a great flat portion of rock, whose surface was
devoid of the least vestige of vegetation. To
get the injured man there was his only hope.
But when he offered the suggestion, Randall refused
it with scorn.

“That place is worse than this,” he declared.
“Here it will be over in a few minutes, but
there I shall slowly roast to death.”

“No, you won’t,” John replied, at
the same time laying his hand upon Randall’s
shoulder. “Come, trust me.”

“Leave me alone,” was the angry retort.
“I’d sooner trust a snake than you.
Get out of my sight.”

John now knew that he had to take stern measures and
act at once, for there was not a minute to lose.
Stooping, he caught the helpless man in a firm grip,
lifted him from the ground, and staggered through the
bushes. Randall was an unwieldy weight, and he
struggled and cursed like a madman. At times
John thought he would be forced to drop his burden
and give up the attempt. But the menacing danger
nerved him to almost super-human effort, and at last
he stumbled with his load upon the rocky surface.
Dragging Randall to the centre of the stone, he left
him sprawling there, and sprang at once to the nearest
clump of bushes. Drawing forth a match from
his vest pocket, he struck it and touched it to a
dry bit of fine grass. A small flame immediately
shot up, which soon spread, and raced out among the
bushes. The same was done in several other places,
and in a few minutes the two men were in the centre
of a ring of fire, which enlarged and increased in
fury as the flames seized upon the dry material on
all sides. The heat now was intense, and the
smoke was blinding and suffocating.

During the whole of this performance Randall was yelling
frantically to Hampton, asking what he meant by bringing
the fire nearer. John, however, made no reply
until his work was done. Then he staggered to
the excited man’s side, and without a word lifted
him again in his arms, carried him to the pile of
boulders, and laid him down between two big rocks
nearest to the lake. Taking off his own coat,
he spread it over Randall’s head, and part of
his body, commanding him at the same time to keep
still, and stop struggling. This warning was
given none too soon for the next instant a terrific
roar rent the air, as the fire burst from the forest
and flung itself upon the plains. Nothing could
John now see, for the smoke was thicker than ever.
The heat, too, was becoming more intense, and for
relief he dropped upon his knees and covered his head
with a portion of the coat which he had placed over
Randall. This was only a brief respite, however,
for burning brands were now falling everywhere, and